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Manson Comes Under Fire In Switzerland

Marilyn Manson (a.k.a. Antichrist Superstar) is at the center of a criminal inquiry in Zurich after a religious group filed a formal complaint about his stage act at a performance in February 2001. According to Billboard, Zurich District Prosecutor Michael Scherrer made a statement yesterday (Dec. 2) that the artist was under investigation for allegedly breaching Swiss law protecting religion and making incitements to violence. This past Sunday, Manson had yet another sold out concert at Zurich Stadium, despite the fact that Christians For Truth (the religious group who filed the initial complaint) and Zurich lawmakers had tried to ban the artist from performing.

Scherrer, who interviewed Manson before the sold out gig, said that the infamous star cited artistic freedom and claimed his act was intended to provoke a debate about violence and religion. The prosecutor has yet to decide weather or not to file charges.